Label and method of using the label to fill containers

• US 20020093189A1
• Filed: 01/12/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allscripts Software LLC (Veradigm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Allscripts LLC (Veradigm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Krupa, Jerome L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,976,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 283/81
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/30 Printed labels
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/50 using icons or symbolic figures, e.g. by a graphical representation symbolising the type of pathology or the organ by an image
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/0053 Forms specially designed for commercial use, e.g. bills, receipts, offer or order sheets, coupons
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 2009/407 after labelling
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/40 Controls; Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/46 Applying date marks, code marks, or the like, to the label during labelling manually-controlled or operable apparatus having printing equipment B65C11/02; ticket printing and issuing G07B1/00 ; apparatus for ticket validating or cancelling G07B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/06 Arrangements on packages concerning bar-codes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/14 of tags , labels, cards, coupons, decorations or the like B65D23/008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/205 Means for the attachment of labels, cards, coupons or the like; cards or coupons for the other types of rigid or semi-rigid containers B65D25/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0288 Labels or tickets consisting of more than one part, e.g. with address of sender or other reference on separate section to main label; Multi-copy labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0289 Pull- or fold-out labels

Abstract

A system is provided for dispensing pharmaceuticals or other material dispensed in prepackaged containers. The container includes a symbol such as a barcode to identify the contents of the container. The system uses a label having a first portion having an outer edge and a second portion that extends out from one side and above the top of the first portion. The second portion includes an indicium such as a barcode that is printed on the second portion that describes the desired contents of a container on which the label is intended. The symbol and the indicium are electronically read after the label is affixed to the container to determine if the label is on a container having the identified contents.

Claims

1. A label for use on a container having known contents wherein the contents are indicated by at least one symbol on the container, the label comprising:

a first portion having an outer edge;

a second portion extending out and away from a side of the outer edge;

indicia inscribed on the second portion identifying a desired content of the container wherein the indicia and the symbol are electronically read to confirm the label is for use on the container.

2. The label according to claim 1 wherein the first portion is rectangular.

3. The label according to claim 2 wherein the second portion extends from a corner of the first portion such that the second portion extends out from a top and a side of the first portion.

4. The label according to claim 1 wherein the second portion is rectangular.

5. The label according to claim 1 wherein the symbol and the indicia are barcodes.

6. The label according to claim 1 wherein a barcode reader simultaneously reads the symbol and the indicia.

7. The label according to claim 1 wherein the container contains pharmaceuticals.

8. The label according to claim 1 wherein the container contains body fluids.

9. The label according to claim 1 wherein the container selected from the group consisting of a bottle, a bag or a box.

10. The label according to claim 1 wherein the symbol and the indicia are aligned on the container so that the symbol and the indicia can be read simultaneously.

11. The label according to claim 1 wherein the symbol and the indicia is vertically aligned on the container.

12. The label according to claim 1 wherein the indicia is a checksum of the symbol.

13. The label according to claim 12 wherein the checksum includes a check digit of the indicia.

14. The label according to claim 1 wherein the second portion covers at least a portion of the symbol.

16. The bottle according to claim 15 wherein the first portion is rectangular.

17. The bottle according to claim 16 wherein the second portion extends from a corner of the first portion such that the second portion extends out from a top and a side of the first portion.

18. The bottle according to claim 15 wherein the second portion is rectangular.

19. The bottle according to claim 15 wherein the symbol and the indicia are barcodes.

20. The bottle according to claim 15 wherein a barcode reader simultaneously reads the symbol and the indicia.

21. The bottle according to claim 15 wherein the bottle contains pharmaceuticals.

22. The bottle according to claim 15 wherein the bottle contains body fluids.

23. The bottle according to claim 15 wherein the symbol and the indicia are aligned on the bottle so that the symbol and the indicia can be read simultaneously.

24. The bottle according to claim 23 wherein the symbol and the indicia are vertically aligned.

25. The bottle according to claim 15 wherein the indicia is a checksum of the symbol.

26. The bottle according to claim 25 wherein the checksum includes a check digit of the indicia.

27. The bottle according to claim 15 wherein the second portion covers at least a portion of the symbol.

29. The method according to claim 28 further comprising the step of reading the symbol to identify the contents of the container.

30. The method according to claim 28 further comprising the step of aligning the second portion with the symbol.

31. The method according to claim 30 wherein the symbol and the indicia are vertically aligned.

32. The method according to claim 28 wherein the symbol and the indicia are barcodes.

33. The method according to claim 28 wherein a barcode reader reads the symbol and the indicia simultaneously.

34. The method according to claim 28 wherein the first portion is rectangular.

35. The method according to claim 34 wherein the second portion extends from an upper corner of the first portion.

36. The method according to claim 28 wherein the first portion contains information identifying the prescription.

37. The method according to claim 28 wherein the indicia is a checksum of the symbol.

38. The method according to claim 37 wherein the checksum includes a check digit of the check sum.

39. The method according to claim 28 wherein the indicia covers at least a portion of the symbol.

15. A bottle comprising:

a symbol inscribed on a first label identifying contents of the bottle;

a label to be secured to the bottle having a first portion and a second portion wherein the label is secured to the bottle such that the label exposes the symbol;

an indicia inscribed on the second portion identifying the intended contents of the bottle and wherein the indicia and the symbol are read after the label is secured to the bottle to confirm that the contents conform to that identified by the label.

28. A method of filling a prescription comprising the steps of:

writing the prescription;

selecting a pharmaceutical corresponding to the prescription wherein the pharmaceutical is in a container having a symbol designating the pharmaceutical of the container;

printing a label for the prescription wherein the label has a first portion a second portion extending out for an edge of the first portion wherein the an indicia is printed on the second portion identifying the pharmaceutical of the prescription;

affixing the label to the container such that the label exposes the symbol, and

reading the symbol and the indicia to confirm the pharmaceutical in the container conforms to the pharmaceutical prescribed by identified by the label.

40. A system for filling a container having a symbol identifying a content of the container, the system comprising:

means for printing a label for wherein the label has a first portion, a second portion extending out for an edge of the first portion wherein first means for identifying a designated material in the container is printed on the second portion and wherein the label is affixed to the container such that the label exposes the symbol, and

means for reading the symbol and the first identifying means to confirm the material in the container conforms to the contents identified by the symbol.

41. The system according to claim 40 wherein the first portion includes second means for identifying the material.

42. The system according to claim 40 wherein the symbol and the first identifying means are barcodes.

43. The system according to claim 40 wherein the reading means is a barcode reader.

44. The system according to claim 43 wherein the barcode reader simultaneously reads the symbol and the indicia.

45. The system according to claim 40 wherein the symbol and the indicia are aligned to be simultaneously read by the reading means.

46. The system according to claim 45 wherein the symbol and the indicia are vertically aligned.

47. The system according to claim 40 wherein the first identifying means includes or means for checking of the symbol.